About Our Parish

Parish of Adamstown

The old name of Adamstown is Magheranevin, " the plain of the berries". Under the Anglo-Norman regime Magheranevin was acquired by

the Marshal family, and in 1233, the place was called "Matherneyuin" - subsequently corrupted to "Murnevin". The church belonged to the Archdeaconry of Ferns. It was only in the year 1418 that the name "Adamstown" was given to the parish when Adam Devereux built a castle there, but the name Magheranevin continued as the ecclesiastical designation as late as 1600.

The Sweetman family were associated with this parish from the 15th century and had a goodly property at Collop's Well, where was born the illustrious Nicholas Sweetman, Bishop of Ferns. William Philipps (Fitz Philip) was Rector in. 1560, and with him the old Catholic regime passed away. In 1801,Bishop Caulfield returned the parish as worth £75 a year, having one curate. The Parish Registers go back to the year 1807.

The Parish includes Adamstown, Newbawn, and Raheen, Represents the old parishes of Adamstown, Doononey, Newbawn, with parts of Inch, Horetown, and Kilgarvan. On October 29th, 1850, Bishop Murphy annexed to the recently- Formed parish of Clongeen the chapel of Cullenstown, and the Townlands of Assagarth, Horetown, Little Faree, and part of Newcastle.

Adamstown parish is bounded on the north by Cloughbaun and Bree, on the south by Clongeen, on the east by Bree, Taghmon, and Clongeen, and on the west by Tintern and Cushinstown.